Monday, January 25, 2016

Parent Connection January 25th

Co-ed Volleyball continues this week for boys and girls in grades 5-8.
Practice is Tuesday, January 26th and Thursday, January 28th from 5:30-7 p.m. at Taku Elementary.
There are rally games for volleyball on Friday, January 29th from 4-7 p.m. at Lumen Christi. Go Huskies!

Faith Lutheran School would like to thank Frontier Supply Company and Puget Sound Pipe & Supply for their generous donation to our sports program.  They donated piping to construct volleyball standards for our team to use in practice.  What a blessing to have businesses in the community support our school. 

Junior Choir meets this week on Wednesday, January 27th at 12:20 p.m. Thank you, Junior Choir, for sharing the message of Jesus at our worship service last Sunday.


Handchime choir meets this week on Thursday, January 28th at 12:30 p.m.

Our 100th day of school this year is Wednesday, January 27th! The students in Pre-K to 8th grade will participate in special service activities on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Please see the back of this note on how you can help us to take this opportunity to meet the needs of others from ages 0 to 100!

You are invited to join us for our weekly school chapel service this Thursday, January 28th, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. This week Mr. Schneck will present a devotion on James 1:2-3 and 12. Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord.
  

Congratulations to our Faith Lutheran School Spelling Bee Champions:

School Champion – Olivia Zanto    Olivia will represent our school at the Alaska State Bee this spring.
2nd Place – Joshua Lillo
1st-2nd Grade Champion – Aurora Ewings
Kindergarten Champion – Elijah Ewings

Women of our school family are invited to join Faith’s Women’s Bible Study which meets on the last Saturday of the month beginning on January 30th at 10:00 a.m. in the Faith fellowship hall. We are using a study entitled Living a Chocolate Life. Contact Cara Ewings at 792-9388 to sign up or to order a copy of the book.

We also have a men’s Bible study which meets on the first Saturday of the month beginning February 6th at Barbie’s CafĂ© on Lake Otis Parkway at 9:00 a.m. The men’s study is entitled Five Things You Can Do to Live a Jesus-Centered Life. Contact Pastor Ewings at 792-9788 for more information.



Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Parent Connection January 19th

“…we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’.” – Acts 20:35b

It’s been a few weeks now since Christmas, and we are back into our normal routines. During the holidays many take the opportunity to take stock of the many blessings God has given them during the past year. Certainly this is something we should do on a daily basis, but the holidays give us a real opportunity to break from our busy schedules to focus on blessings.
            Sometimes, however, people celebrate “getting” rather than “giving”. We focus on saying thank you while enjoying our bounty, but forget that God gives us gifts to share.
            With the thawing and refreezing typical of this time of year, you may notice icicles growing steadily from roofs. An interesting thing about icicles: They give to grow. For an icicle to grow longer, the water dripping down from the roof has to run to the very point of the icicle. Typically most of it drips off, but a small amount freezes to the end. This constant dripping, while retaining a small amount, slowly grows the icicle into a long and beautiful structure. If the icicle was “selfish” and froze all of the water to itself instantly, it would get wider and fatter, but it would not grow.
            May God help us to remember to take the opportunity to share the gifts we have with those in need. This next week we celebrate our 100th day of school. The students of Faith Lutheran are taking an opportunity to collect items to bless those in need from the ages of 0 to 100. I encourage your family to participate with whatever you are able to donate. You may be able to help with one project, or with all of them. Whatever you are able to provide, be it a little or a lot, we encourage your family to take this opportunity to “help the weak”. As we share the many blessings God has given us through our family, our school, our churches, and our community, we grow as well. By following God’s encouragement to share not only our treasure, but our time and talents to help others as well, our faith and trust in the Lord can be grow, and by giving, we receive.
           
Thank you God, for your many blessings. Help us to use your gifts to bless those around us. Amen

God bless your week,
-Principal Schneck


Co-ed Volleyball continues this week for boys and girls in grades 5-8.
Practice is Tuesday, January 19th at Taku Lake Elementary. There is no Thursday practice this week.

Junior Choir meets this week on Wednesday, January 20th at 12:20 p.m.

Jr. Choir sings this Sunday, January 24th at Faith.  Service is at 10:30, please be here by 10:15.

Handchime choir meets this week on Thursday, January 21st  at 12:30 p.m.

PTF Hot Lunch this week – Chicken Strips! Please see the attached slip. Parents are welcome to join us for lunch!

You are invited to join us for our weekly school chapel service this Thursday, January 21st, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. This week Pastor Hackmann from Peace, Eagle River will present a devotion on 1 John 4:10. Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord.

Spelling Bee
Our school spelling bee takes place this Wednesday in the fellowship hall. The students in grades K-2 will have their own classroom competitions, while finalists from grades 3-8 will compete in the school bee at 1:00 p.m. Parents are invited to attend.  The finalists are: Cody Boswell, Josh Henry, Ella Anton, Saraya Hegerberg, Megan Lillo, Joshua Lillo, Caleb Lillo, Eli Corwin, Olivia Zanto, Taylon Robichaux, Emma Robbert, and Lexi Klebs.  Cara Ewings, a 5 time Faith Lutheran School Spelling Bee Champ and 1998 Alaska State Champion will be announcing the bee.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Parent Connection January 11th

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3

I think I killed my banana plant.
It’s not the first time. Sometimes I’m not very nice to my plants.
It’s not that I don’t like plants. I love having them in my classroom. But too often I forget to water them. Sometimes I’m inadvertently so cruel as to leave the watering pitcher with water in it sitting right next to a drooping plant. More than once I have suddenly remembered to water a plant on the brink of total collapse, and hoped to see the plant recover.
That’s what happened to my banana plant. After days (weeks?) of neglect I suddenly noticed the forgotten plant on the floor by the window. So I flooded it with water. I may be too late. Only time will tell.
Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to provide all that we think our children need – nutritious food, educational or creative opportunities, healthy sports programs, outdoor activities, etc. Yet the most important ingredient is left out, in a dusty Bible unused on a bookshelf, a family devotion book that goes unread because we “don’t have the time” (even though there’s time to watch a little TV), or neglected Sunday worship that “gets in the way” of our weekend recreation.
I can provide all the sunlight, soil and good air that a plant needs, but without water, my plant still withers and dies. The same happens to a family life left un-watered by God’s Word.
Make sure that you take the opportunity today and every day to plant yourself and your family by the streams of living water found in God’s Word, and by God’s grace watch your family’s faith bloom and grow.

God bless your week,
-Principal Schneck


Report cards for 2nd Quarter were sent home on Friday. Parents, please sign and return the accompanying envelope if you have not already done so. If you have any questions about your child’s progress, please feel free to set up a meeting with your child’s teacher.

Co-ed Volleyball continues this week for boys and girls in grades 5-8.
Practice is Tuesday, January 12th and Thursday, January 14th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Taku Lake Elementary School.
The first volleyball games will take place this Friday, January 15th, from 4-8 p.m. at Lumen Christi. Come cheer on your Huskies!

Junior Choir meets this week on Wednesday, January 13th at 12:20 p.m.

Handchime choir meets this week on Thursday, January 14th at 12:30 p.m.
You are invited to join us for our weekly school chapel service this Thursday, January 14th, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. This week Pastor Robbert from King of Kings, Wasilla, will present a devotion on 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14. Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord.

Toddler Time meets this Wednesday, January 13th from 10 to 11 a.m. Parents with children ages 0-5 are invited to this hour of educational activities, structured play and a snack. For more information contact Mrs. Cara Ewings at 907-792-9388.

If you have collected any Campbell’s Labels for Education or Pepperidge Farm UPCs, please bring them in to school to be used for bonus points by January 12th. Thank you!

There will be no school classes on Monday, January 18th for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 19th.
On Friday, January 15th, from 6-8 p.m. Faith Lutheran Church will host a Chili Cook Off and Silent Auction to help raise funds for completing the fire suppression sprinkler system for the church and school facility. How does your chili recipe rate? Bring your best chili to see how it rates against all the others. Does your chili have beef, caribou, chicken or moose? Is it mild, or could it be used to start fires? Well, we want to try it! Don’t have a recipe? Then come and enjoy some of the great chili that will be presented. There will also be a silent auction to benefit the sprinkler fund.
To sign up to bring chili or to donate an item for the auction, contact Jed Else at jedediah.else@gmail.com .


Since December Mr. Schneck has been deliberating a call to serve Zion Lutheran School in Monroe, Michigan as principal and teacher for grades 7 and 8. In our synod’s practice, pastors and teachers at times receive calls from other congregations to serve their ministries. The called worker then has the opportunity to serve a different congregation in their ministry, or continue in their current call.

The letter below indicating the Schneck’s decision was submitted to Faith congregation this last Friday and read to the congregation on Sunday:
                                                                                   
Dear Rev. Ewings, President Channing Lillo, Education Chairman Jeff Brooks, and Members of Faith Lutheran congregation,

I am writing to inform you that after prayerful deliberation I have decided to accept the call extended to me by Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Monroe, Michigan. At this time I feel that the Lord has led me to continue serving his kingdom in this different mission field, and trust that God will keep his promise of continued blessing for Faith congregation and its school ministry. I therefore ask to be released from the call issued to me by Faith congregation to serve Faith Lutheran at the conclusion of the 2015-2016 school year. I also ask on behalf of my wife Deanna that she be released from her current call serving the Kindergarten of Faith Lutheran School.

Deanna and I and our family will miss you, our family in Christ, and the ministry we shared here at Faith. We thank you for welcoming and supporting us as your called workers and as part of your church family since we arrived. We will take with us many fond memories of our work, our friends, and our experiences in Alaska. We have confidence in God’s promises to keep his people and ministry here in Anchorage in his care, for God’s promises are sure.

I thank you very much for your prayers for myself and my family, and the advice and encouragement from you as individual members, fellow workers, and leaders, as I deliberated this call. May God bless you in your continued service to the Good Shepherd’s lambs and sheep.

In Christ’s love,
Bryan Schneck
Anchorage, Alaska


Mr. and Mrs. Schneck will continue to serve Faith Lutheran School through the remainder of the 2015-2016 school year.

Monday, January 4, 2016

Parent Connection January 4th

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 12:8

            For most, New Years has always been a time of reflection, as well as a time to anticipate the future. We can expect changes to come to our lives in the coming year. Some changes we plan and hope to implement: “This year I resolve to…” Other changes may be completely unexpected. Some changes may be exciting, welcome and joyful, as in the birth of a new family member, or a job advancement. Other changes may be feared or cause sorrow, as in a death, disaster, or other type of difficulty in our lives.
Yet through all the changes we may experience in our lives there is one thing that, thankfully, never changes: God’s love for us. The same love that God had for us in the past he still has for us now. The same salvation Christ won for us on the cross remains our sure and certain hope. The same Holy Spirit still works faith in our hearts to believe in God’s promises of protection, guidance, and care throughout our lives. And finally, our heavenly home still waits for us.
Change is inevitable. It must come. Expect it, prepare for it, look forward to it. But rejoice and give thanks for this: We have a Lord who does not change! His love endures forever!

God bless your week and New Year,
-Principal Schneck



Report cards for the second quarter will be distributed on Friday, January 8th.
Parents, please sign and return the accompanying envelope on Monday, January 11th. If you have any questions about your child’s progress, please feel free to set up a meeting with your child’s teacher.

Co-ed Volleyball will be starting soon for boys and girls in grades 5-8.
Mr. Zarnstorff will get details and permission forms out to interested students as soon as the practice and game schedule is finalized. Please speak to Mr. Z if you have any questions.

Parents, Teachers and Friends (PTF)
Thank you to all those who donated and purchased at our PTF Bake Sale! $474 was collected for PTF sponsored school activities.
There is a PTF meeting on Thursday, January 7th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss upcoming events and projects. Please join us!

You are invited to join us for our weekly school chapel service this Thursday, January 7th, from 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. This week Pastor Ewings will present a devotion on Proverbs 24:11. Families and friends are invited to come and join us in starting our day with the Lord.
  
Toddler Time meets this Wednesday, January 6th  from 10 to 11 a.m. This week’s theme is Epiphany. Parents with children ages 0-5 are invited to this hour of educational activities, structured play and a snack. For more information contact Mrs. Cara Ewings at 907-792-9388.

Junior Choir meets this week on Wednesday, January 6th at 12:20 p.m.

There will be no Handchime Choir this week. Handchime choir meets again next Thursday, January 14th at 12:30 p.m.

Library Visits
Grades 3-5 will be visiting the Loussac Library this Wednesday, January 6th. Grades 6-8 will be visiting the Loussac Library on Friday, January 8th. Students are reminded to bring their library cards and any books that need to be returned.

Parent’s Night Out
Friday, January 8th will be a “Pajama Party” Parents’ Night Out from 6-9 p.m. A sign-up sheet is posted in the school hallway.
Parents, would you like to join the fun? We could use chaperones! Contact Tina Henry at 240-0623 if you can help out.


If you have collected any Campbell’s Labels for Education or Pepperidge Farm UPCs, please bring them in to school to be used for bonus points by January 12th. Thank you!